Monday, January 30, 2012

Now that we're moving into February, I've finally come to terms with the fact that 2012 is here.

Instead of continuing to shake my head at the fact that the past year came and went before my eyes, I'm looking towards the future and all that the upcoming 11 months will have to offer. There will be birthdays, holidays, events, get-togethers, and more that are sure to include the fun and laughter that comes along with celebrating with family and friends.

So whether we're gathering to watch the big game on TV, for Mother's Day, or simply to share some time together, I love the idea of extending the enjoyment by including Hasbro and one of their entertaining games for all ages. Our recent addition? Their newly-updated game of forbidden words, Taboo.

Now with a new, sleek look, game-changer die and humorous "Uh-uh!" buzzer sound, Taboo still incorporates the same concept and fun that it has always been known to include. By splitting players into two teams, one member frantically attempts to get their teammates to guess the winning word on their card.

However, things are made much more difficult with the inclusion of the list of "Taboo" words and phrases which cannot be used. As one team is working to describe their word, the opponents are listening for those words that are off limits and, if heard, the "Uh-uh!" buzzer is sounded.

Having played the original Taboo in the past (quite a few years ago), I was interested to see how Hasbro had updated it and how my family would enjoy this game of "unspeakable" fun.

From initially glancing into the box, the game appeared to include the same main parts — the cards, a holder, a timer and a buzzer — and it was mainly the game changing die that made me do a double take.

However, after looking over the instructions, we found that the die (which is optional and easily left out if you would prefer to play classic Taboo) was there add an extra twist to the play.

By rolling the die at the start of your turn, you are presented with one of five ways that you must adapt. Anything from doubling your guessing time to choosing your guesser to not using any gestures and more!

After installing two AAA batteries (not included) in the buzzer, we split into the quintessential men versus women teams and got down to business. As Taboo is designed for adults, Big Sister E helped out as the timer, while also playing with the buzzer. After all, the "Uh-uh!" sound is fairly humorous just on its own!

As for the rest of us? We had a good time coming up with creative, carefully-worded clues that hopefully excluded the obvious (and sometimes not-so-obvious) unmentionable Taboo words. With more than 1,000 total words to guess, we found that we didn't keep strict track of the score but simply played as long as our 5-year-old referee would allow.

I think I can pretty safely say that had we been keeping track, that the women would have won. Don't we always?

Designed for four or more adult players, the refreshed content, new buzzer and unique die that Hasbro has included ensures that Taboo will help make sure your next party or game night will be filled with fun and laughter.

Retailing for $29.99 from Hasbro, Amazon or in retail stores near you, Taboo is sure to be a welcome addition to your game lineup. Just be careful about avoiding those forbidden words, it can be hard to do!

Thanks to the generosity of Hasbro, one person will soon be having a lively time with their family and friends as well, because...

One lucky person will win Taboo from Hasbro!

To enter to win: Visit Hasbro and leave me a comment about another item there that catches your eye.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Hasbro's Family Game Night on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN Taboo from Hasbro (ARV $30) and liven up my next party or game night! http://bit.ly/A7ZUT4 @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on February 15th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Hasbro for providing Taboo for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.